Debby Herbenick, co-director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion, and other researchers at Indiana University have found that it’s possible for women to experience an orgasm while exercising, especially their abdominal muscles, climbing poles or ropes, biking/spinning and weight lifting.

The researchers have called this kind of orgasm: Exercise-induced Orgasm (EIO), Exercise-Induced Sexual Pleasure (EISP) or loosely “coregasm”.

Herbenick and her colleagues may put to bed the idea that sexual experiences require sexual activity.

In open-ended responses, ab exercises were particularly associated with the “captain’s chair,” which consists of a rack with padded arm rests and back support that allows the legs to hang free. The goal is to repeatedly lift the knees toward the chest or toward a 90-degree angle with the body.

Debby Herbenick (Photo credit: parksam)

More from the article:

Herbenick cautioned that it is not yet known whether such exercises can improve women’s sexual experiences.

“It may be that exercise — which is already known to have significant benefits to health and well-being — has the potential to enhance women’s sexual lives as well.”

The study did not determine how common it is for women to experience exercise-induced orgasm or exercise-induced sexual pleasure. But the authors note that it took only five weeks to recruit the 370 women who experienced the phenomenon, suggesting it is not rare.

I expect a full report from Tina, Xina and Julie Ferwerda, as they’re the regular reading and responding women on this blog. And remember, it’s for science.